Archaeometrical Characterisation and Provenance of Early Bronze Age III Pottery from Kültepe-Kaneš: A Multianalytical Investigation

Date

2025-3-06

Author

Ayter, Pelin

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The objective of this dissertation is the characterisation of pottery assemblages from Early Bronze Age III Kültepe-Kaneš, by investigating the chemical and mineralogical compositions of the pottery samples together with their petrographical properties and comparing the results with potential raw materials. Multivariate statistical analysis was employed to investigate whether the archaeological samples were imported or produced locally. Briquettes made from potential raw materials were experimentally fired to check their viability for pottery making. Mineralogical characterisation was achieved by X-Ray Diffraction, supplemented by petrographic information obtained via stereomicroscopy and thin section microscopy. As for chemical characterisation, Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry was utilised for the determination of major and minor elements, while Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry was used for trace elements. The reference pottery group, archaeologically classified as local, exhibited a high degree of correlation with geological sample groups collected from and around the vi site. On the other hand, three samples from this reference group imply an unknown source or production in another regional town, sharing the same pottery tradition. One of the four major statistically determined groups, as well as one loner and an outlier pair, discernible from the local production modes, might have been imports from other regions. Early Bronze Age III pottery production in Kültepe-Kaneš formed three distinct groups, utilising separate clay sources. Unfired pottery samples and the hearth pieces from the workshop cluster geochemically with only one of the three local groups, indicating the presence of yet-unearthed pottery workshop(s) within the EBA III levels of Kültepe-Kaneš.

Subject Keywords

Kültepe-Kaneš, Early Bronze Age III (EBA III), Geochemical Analysis, Experimental Archaeology, Pottery Petrography

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https://hdl.handle.net/11511/114580

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Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis